Molly thought there was just one flaw with all this. ‘But why cover it all up? I mean, after all this time, does it matter where Etta is? And what about the attacks? Why is it worth harming people to keep her whereabouts hidden?’
Charlie shook his head and said he didn’t know. ‘I’ll wait for the results to get back about the car and maybe that will lead to something. I hope so.’ As he was leaving, he said, ‘Oh, I almost forgot, the tablets in the two bottles were aspirins, so there’s nothing sinister there.’
55
The woman was so pleased with herself at fooling everyone. Imagine the old bat dying like that, but that meant she was the perfect scapegoat. The police would connect her appearance with all the attacks and that suited her. All she had to now was to keep a low profile and soon she would disappear again – this time forever. She was so full of elation that she could have danced for joy but she had to be careful now. Anyone watching her would wonder. And she didn’t want that kind of scrutiny.
56
The Convent of the Holy Sisters was a beautiful building, built from a golden stone that shimmered, seemingly full of sunshine, even on a grey misty day like today. The school lay to the side of it and was a plainer building, built many, many years after the convent.
The Mother Superior sat with Sister Margaret in the small room off the chapel – a lovely place with lead windows and the ambience of a couple of centuries’ mixture of beeswax and faded flowers. The Mother Superior sat with a letter in her hand. ‘I have some sad news, Sister Margaret. Miss Price has died quite suddenly of a heart attack.’
Sister Margaret bowed her head. ‘That is sad news, Mother Superior. I didn’t think we would see her again after she left and it’s God’s will that we won’t.’
‘I have a letter from the police in Scotland. A Detective Sergeant Johns wants to know if Miss Price owned a car.’
Sister Margaret shook her head. ‘No, she didn’t. We all saw her off when she left and all her belongings were in one suitcase.’
The Mother Superior thought for a moment. ‘Yes, that is what I thought. We will say prayers at Mass for our late companion.’
Sister Margaret nodded and left the room. The Mother Superior sat for a long time afterwards. She remembered Miss Price very well. Although she had never taken orders and become a novice nun, she had possessed a deep and strong faith. The Mother Superior had never really known the woman. She had never discussed her life with anyone, even after all the years she had spent in the school where she had been a brilliant mathematics teacher. She had been a lonely woman but the Mother Superior never doubted Miss Price’s devotion to duty and to God.
Then there was the other letter, the one from the solicitor’s office in Dublin. The solicitor had couched the letter in his dry and very legal way of writing, but from what she could gather, he explained that Miss Price had left her entire estate to the convent. To start with, the Mother Superior had expected a few pounds for the poor box, but her eyes widened when she read the amount. Miss Price had lived quite simply but invested her salary in the stocks and shares market. The solicitor said she had the mathematical brain of a genius and had always bought and sold at the right time. This money would do such a power of good for their work at the convent. Miss Price, who had lived with one suitcase for most of her life, had died a very wealthy woman. The Mother Superior bent her head and said a prayer for the departed soul of a lonely woman.
57
Jimmy Flynn made his way up to the infirmary to see Peter. He knew Donna and the girls were busy moving to their new house and, as it was a rotten night with snow swirling in the cold wind, he didn’t think Peter would have any other visitors. Peter was beginning to get fed up in the hospital but his face brightened when Jimmy appeared. ‘I should be at home helping Donna with the flitting instead of being cooped up in here.’ He sounded grumpy.
Jimmy told him everything was going fine. ‘Mr Cooke has arranged a couple of the vans to help her move and some of the lads are lending a hand. Of course, having Andrea there helps, as it’s mostly the younger guys who volunteered.’
Peter felt tears coming into his eyes. Everyone was being so helpful and he knew he couldn’t ever repay all that had been done for the family since the accident. ‘As long as they don’t take any liberties with her,’ he said.
Jimmy laughed. ‘No, they’re great lads. They just like chatting to her and Janey mimics them when they go home.’
‘Good old Janey,’ said Peter. ‘Always has an answer for everything. I often think if the Devil was stuck for an answer, then Janey would be able to set him straight.’
‘She’s got her jar of bath salts on the bathroom window ledge. It was the first thing to be taken inside the house,’ said Jimmy. ‘Donna is over the moon with the house, Peter, and you’ll find it a great place as well. The girls have their own bedrooms and Donna just loves the kitchen and the bathroom. When you get back to work, there will be no more cycling, as I’ll take you to the joiners’ yard in the van.’
‘Aye,’ said Peter, lying back on his pile of pillows. ‘When I get home … whenever that’ll be.’
Jimmy was worried about broaching the subject of the dented van. So much had taken place over these last few weeks but he had to know. ‘Peter, that night you borrowed the van and it got dented, how did it happen?’
Peter groaned. ‘Has Mr Cooke noticed it?’
‘No, but I have to know. You see, a woman got knocked down that night at the Rosebank School entrance and I want to know if it was you. I mean, you maybe didn’t notice her on the road, but a lot of strange things are happening.’
To Jimmy’s surprise, Peter burst out laughing. ‘I was never near Rosebank School, Jimmy. I had offered to help with old Mr and Mrs Ferguson’s flitting. You don’t know them, but they lived near us in Alexander Street. They had been given a key for an older house in Wedderburn Street because they couldn’t afford the big rents of the new houses. Well, the removal company let them down and I said I would help. I thought of borrowing the van and doing a few runs with their stuff. They didn’t own a lot as they were living in one small room in that building that’s been demolished. I was almost finished when we tried to put the wardrobe in the back. The old guy’s hand slipped and he dented the side of the van. I was furious but I couldn’t say anything to him as he’s really old. I know I haven’t cleared the money with you yet, but I’ll make sure I do when I’m back working. I mentioned the fence because I was worried, but I shouldn’t have lied. Sorry about that.’
Jimmy let out his breath. He hadn’t been aware that he had been holding it in. ‘That’s all right, Peter, I don’t want any more money. Let’s just call it quits.’
‘Who is the woman who was knocked down?’ Jimmy said.
‘You’re not going to believe this but it was Etta Barton’s mother. However, she’s all right. The strange thing is, she was attacked again later, in broad daylight, and we don’t know what’s going on. My mother is worried about all the questioning and Dad is fuming because his routine is being disrupted.’
Peter was worried. ‘Are Donna and the girls safe? I don’t want anything to happen to them.’ Jimmy said they were fine but after he left, Peter spent a sleepless and frustrating night.
Earlier that day, Charlie had word back from the licensing department to say no car had ever been registered to a Miss Robina Price. Charlie knew that the driver of the car was still at large. But maybe they were an innocent party. Perhaps someone from the chapel had given Miss Price some lifts and he was just imagining the link to all the disturbing things that were happening.
58
Robina Price had left no special instructions for her funeral, so it was left to Vera to organise it. Father Black at the chapel in Forebank Road brought the body into the chapel for a funeral mass and afterwards she was buried at Balgay cemetery. Molly and Charlie were there, along with Vera, Mrs Davidson and the Flynn family. There were also quite a few of the parishioners from the chapel who had know
n the deceased woman. Molly found the service a peaceful and beautiful experience and afterwards they all went to the cemetery where it started to snow.
Molly was aware, as they all stood around the grave in a freezing cold wind, that Charlie was quietly scrutinising all the mourners. Then, afterwards, he looked at the few wreaths that had been placed on top of the grave but there were none that gave him a clue to the unknown accomplice.
Balgay cemetery was usually a quiet, green place with grass and trees and secluded benches but today the scenery was all black and white. Water dripped from tree branches now stripped of any leaves and the grey headstones looked forlorn in the overcast winter’s day. Once again, Molly thought longingly of the hot sunshine of Australia and she had to mentally chide herself. This was where her life was now and it had been her choice to come back home. Still, maybe if she saved up hard enough, she would be able to have a holiday to see Nell, Terry and Molly. At least it was something to look forward to.
After the service, Frances and Mrs Davidson came to speak to them. Mrs Davidson had been crying; she felt sorry for the woman and anyway, she said, she always cried at funerals. Frances was more stoic. ‘I can’t say I liked the woman but I just wish she had had someone with her at the end. To die alone is a terrible thing.’ Both Molly and Charlie agreed with her.
Vera had ordered a funeral tea in a private room of the Royal Hotel but Molly and Charlie didn’t go back for that. Instead, they went to their favourite place at Wilson’s café. Molly was chilled to the bone and glad of the hot drink. Charlie said, ‘I’ll still investigate this case but it looks highly unlikely that we’ll ever find the accomplice. Maybe they’ll continue with this vendetta against Vera, Peter and you, but hopefully it will stop. I can find no link to anyone and it seems as if Miss Price was a loner. The only person she had any dealings with was Frances Flynn and I’ll keep an eye on her.’
Molly poured out more tea but Charlie said he had had enough. ‘Will you be back living in the flat, Molly?’
‘Yes. I can’t face that river crossing every day and the smell of paint is getting fainter.’
‘Be careful and keep the car in Paradise Road. I hope this has all ended but I’m not sure,’ he told her.
Molly shivered and wasn’t sure if it was due to the cold or the fear of another attack. ‘I thought Vera looked terrible,’ she said. ‘I’ll go and see her tomorrow and try and get her to see the doctor. I feel such a failure at not finding her daughter, but it was so long ago and people change over the years. I had to keep telling myself I wasn’t looking for a young sixteen-year-old girl but a woman of forty.’
She walked back to the office alone, her hands in her pockets and her hat acting like a blinker, which meant she didn’t see the woman standing in the doorway of Hunter’s store. She was dressed in a long coat with a woollen hat over her hair. She looked like she was studying something in the window but her heart was filled with pleasure at the sight of Molly’s sad and cold looking figure.
59
Deanna came into the office not long after Molly, beaming with good health. Her cheeks were red with the cold and she had a woollen hat pulled down over her hair. ‘That’s my shift finished, Molly,’ she said, ‘unless there is something else.’
Jean looked through the day’s roster and said everything was done. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow then. Oh, I almost forgot, the Glencoe play is finished but I’ve been kept on for the next one, which is a comedy. I hope you can all come and see me.’
Molly felt guilty. ‘I meant to ask everyone to come to see you but, with everything that’s happened, I forgot, but we’ll all be along to see this one.’
Deanna looked sad. ‘Yes, you’ve had a rotten time of it, Molly, but you’ll get a laugh at this comedy. It’s really very funny. Have you ever seen the Brian Rix farces where people keep falling out of cupboards? Well, it’s like that.’
When she left, Molly looked at Jean and they both burst out laughing. ‘It must be good to be young and carefree and full of life,’ said Molly, who suddenly felt old.
‘Who on earth is Brian Rix?’ asked Jean. ‘And I swear that girl spends her life as if she’s acting, like she’s always playing a part.’
‘Brian Rix is a well-known stage actor who puts on very funny plays down in one of the London theatres. I think they’re very good,’ said Molly, who had suddenly cheered up. ‘We must ask everyone if they want to go and see Deanna at the Rep. Maybe on a Saturday night.’
Jean shook her head and laughed. ‘I’ll speak to the staff and see what they say.’
* * *
Edna and John were just finishing off the day’s work when a car pulled up outside the door. John was standing by the window and he let out a groan of dismay. ‘Here’s James and Sonia. I wonder what she wants now. Do you think we can pretend to be out?’
Edna sounded doubtful. ‘If you saw them through the window then they will have seen you. Better to let them in and see what they want.’
‘If I know Sonia, it’ll be something for her. I don’t know what James sees in her but he’s always had a soft spot for her. Fortunately, she went off to work in Edinburgh when I became engaged to her sister and James went off to paint in France, but now they’ve finally met up, and God help him is all I can say.’
However, he went to the door and because he was fond of his brother, he welcomed them with a smile. ‘Come in. It’s nice to see you both.’
They came into the living room and if Sonia was disappointed that all her chintzy covers had gone, she didn’t show it. ‘Edna, how lovely to see you,’ she said, coming over to Edna like some long-lost special friend.
Edna hated to be two-faced but she managed a smile and said, ‘How are you, Sonia?’
‘Busy, busy, busy. James is putting on another painting exhibition and I’m organising it.’ She turned to James and gave him a huge hundred-watt smile. ‘It’s going to be the best thing Arbroath has seen in years. The customers will be coming in their droves and he’ll sell all his wonderful paintings.’
Edna remembered the last exhibition James had put on, when he had sold most of his paintings without Sonia’s over-exuberant gestures. Still, James looked besotted and if he was happy, then she knew John would be pleased for his brother. James spoke for the first time. ‘We’ve brought you both an invitation. It’ll be next month at the Exclusive Gallery. We thought to hold it just before Christmas so people could maybe buy something as a gift. Sonia has managed to hire the gallery for two nights, so we are expecting great things.’
Then Sonia said, ‘What a dither I am. I forgot to say congratulations on your engagement. Oh, Edna, what a lovely ring.’
After a few bits of conversation, they left. Edna felt as if a whirlwind had swept in from the north and swirled out again. Even John looked a bit shell-shocked. ‘I hope James knows what he’s taken on. I thought his last exhibition in his house was great and he sold most of the paintings.’
‘That’s what I was thinking,’ said Edna.
‘I mean, what is it going to cost him for two nights’ rent in this Exclusive Gallery? Trust Sonia to always go overboard on everything. I think she’s forgotten that her business went into the red and she had to give it up.’
Edna agreed. She liked James. He was a simple man who would be like putty in Sonia’s hands.
John said, ‘I expect we’ll just have to let them get on with it. Maybe James will get his eyes opened with her. Now, I’ll walk you back to your house.’
Edna knew that he would have liked her to stay with him until they were married in the Spring but they both understood that Irene wouldn’t approve of that and, of course, they had to think about Billy. So they both set off towards Paradise Road. The snow had stopped but the park looked white and magical in the fading light. Edna felt so happy she thought she would burst with excitement. The wedding was planned for next year in March. It was going to be a simple affair, with a registry office service and a small wedding breakfast for a few close friends and
family.
As they walked past the infirmary, John suddenly burst out laughing. ‘What’s the joke, John?’ she asked him.
‘Thank goodness Sonia hasn’t got her hands on our wedding plans, otherwise it would have a cast of hundreds and maybe two days’ hire of the Exclusive Gallery.’ Edna laughed, but she didn’t even want to think about it.
After James and Sonia had got into the car, she said, ‘I didn’t think much of Edna’s engagement ring. You would have thought John would have bought something a bit more expensive looking instead of that tiny diamond.’
‘Maybe that’s the ring Edna wanted. After all, she would have been with him when it was bought,’ he replied.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’ She felt a quick flash of jealous anger but she managed to suppress it. She was lucky to have ensnared James who was going to be a famous painter. With her help, he couldn’t possible fail.
60
Molly wasn’t looking forward to seeing Vera. She got the impression the woman wanted to be left alone but this would probably be her last visit. She had paid her bill for the month’s work without a murmur, although Molly knew she was deeply disappointed that there had been no result other than the violence. Vera had said that no one could blame Etta for all these attacks. It had to be someone who knew something and wanted it all hushed up. But when Molly had asked her, ‘What could someone want hushed up, Vera?’ she said she didn’t know.
The snow had turned to a deep, dirty slush and the pavement was slippery. Molly took her time climbing up the Hill. The close was quiet. Children would be in school and it looked as if no one wanted to venture out to the shops because of the weather. When Vera answered the door, Molly thought she looked a bit better than she had yesterday. The house was tidy and Vera had dressed with some care, not like the way she had looked on Molly’s previous visits. Perhaps now that Robina’s funeral was over, Vera had decided to let the past go and Molly hoped this was the case.
Private Sorrow, A Page 26